


While They Sleep

by ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish



Series: Ree [21]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Interlude, Long Shot, Memories, No Plot/Plotless, Watching Someone Sleep, What are you doing Nick, really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 17:42:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12658332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish/pseuds/ReleasingTheKrakenIsMyFetish
Summary: Just a short interlude about Nick watching over sleeping Ree & Hancock.





	While They Sleep

Nick watched as Ree's head got heavier against Hancock's shoulder. Soon they were both asleep, Hancock snoring slightly under his tricorne and Ree's lips parting as she drew deep, relaxed breaths. The old synth had a gentle smile on his face when his yellow eyes shone upon those two.

Ree had indeed brought back some memories from the past. Like Jennifer. Nick hadn't thought about her in a while. Of course, even when they weren't exactly _his_ memories, he could still feel her in his arms. In his human arms. He could see her laughing in the sun. Her wearing the new skirt she had bought. Her admiring his new set of wheels. But also... her lying on the street. Her beautiful hair blotted dark with blood.

No matter how many times the last memory came to him, it clutched his heart. Or whatever it was that made him tick. He wasn't entirely sure himself.

Nick stood up and tried the trench coat. It was dry enough. Not that he was in any danger of catching a cold. While feeling the coat he found himself glancing at the sleeping couple. Hancock sure seemed energetic these days, and it radiated out of him. Nick knew what caused it, and couldn't be more happier for his old friend.

Ree had been worried about being a burden. Nick snorted silently. If she just knew how big of an impact she had on Hancock. Nick had seen so many years with the mayor, long before he had turned into a ghoul. That had been quite something, indeed. And after becoming the mayor of Goodneighbor there had been some dark times. At some point Hancock had even made a habit out of ”establishing the dominance” to about every new face that came around.

It hadn't always been pretty. He had forgotten who he was. He honored his duty as a mayor, of course, but inside... Nick had known it had just been a matter of time when Hancock would've started sliding to the deep end.

Ree was shivering slightly in her sleep. Nick grabbed his coat, walked around the campfire and spread the ragged thing on her. Neither she or Hancock did wake up and Nick couldn't help himself staying there for a minute on his knee.

” _Does that mean you can't fall in love?”_

Her eyes had been sincere.

” _What woman wouldn't find that intriguing?”_

Nick's jaw tightened. Nobody in this world had even considered thinking of him like that. As a man, instead of a synth. And it had been just fine... He had already come in terms with the matter. He was a machine. A man-made thing. The fact that he was self-conscious didn't change anything. He was a cheap copy of a man who had lived over 200 years ago. If things had gone differently, he could now be posing as someone else than Nick Valentine.

The old, familiar rage bursting out in his chest caught him by surprise. He straightened himself, walked swiftly at the entrance of the underpass and shook a pack of cigarettes until one peeked out. He lit it and pushed the lighter back in his pocket along the pack. A deep inhale. Breathe out. The smoke vanished in the rain that had changed into a drizzle, which now sparkled in the light of the campfire, his cigarette, and his eyes.

He was happy for Hancock. He really was.

 


End file.
